I Hate Traditional Dating — Can’t We Just Hang Out On The Couch Instead?

You know what my favorite date night activity is? Lounging on the couch with a glass of wine and some good conversation. Dinner and a movie is nice, but I much prefer the intimacy that happens when we stay in for the night. Here’s why:

  1. There are so many good TV shows on right now. Have you seen West World? TV is so amazing right now, I can barely keep up. I don’t feel a scrap of guilt when I choose to stay home and catch up on the latest episodes of my favorite shows because they’re just so damn good. I feel like my brain actually benefits from watching them — and it’s even better when I’m watching with you.
  2. We don’t have to wear pants. Do I need to even explain this one further? No pants equals optimal comfort. Even when I come home from work, I take my pants off immediately. It’s a huge relief and makes my stress levels go way down. Think of it this way: why would we choose to wear clothes out at an expensive restaurant when we can lounge around naked together? The latter sounds way more fun.
  3. Being around crowds of people makes me anxious. I don’t know about you, but being in public for too long makes me super stressed. I really try to pull it together when we go out, but I feel a million times calmer when it’s just the two of us in the comfort of our own home.
  4. I feel like I can be fully myself when it’s just us. When we’re hanging out at home, I feel like I can let my guard down and truly be myself. Going out on a fancy date is nice and all, but I don’t feel like I can be 100 percent authentic when everyone is watching me. I’d rather just be totally real with you without the pressure of being “polite” in public.
  5. We can fall asleep in each other’s arms. Nothing is better than being wrapped up in the arms of your lover. The best thing about staying in is that when our date is done we can fall asleep right then and there. How convenient is that?! There’s no worrying about getting to bed too late, plus it feels so nice to fall asleep whenever we feel like it.
  6. We save money. I don’t even want to think about how much money we’re wasting by going out for our dates. We can easily split a $5 frozen pizza, watch a movie, and have just as good of a time as if we were dressed to the nines at some fancy wine bar.
  7. I can kiss you whenever I want. When we’re just chilling at home, I never have to worry about going overboard on the PDA. Not only is it kinda awkward for us, but it’s incredibly awkward for the people watching. No one likes the annoying couple who makes out at the restaurant. I’d rather stay home so I can plant one on you whenever the feeling strikes without feeling weird about it.
  8. The bedroom is only steps away. When we’re out on a date and start feeling frisky, there’s nowhere to really go (except maybe the bathroom, if we’re so bold) to get each other off. The great thing about staying home is that we can go wherever our horniness leads us because we’re already hanging out in private.
  9. We only ever talk to each other anyway. It’s not like we’re missing out on making new friends. Even when we’re at a party, we always seem to just stick with each other. We never have to worry about missing out because we’re all we need.
  10. I’ve always been a homebody. Ever since I was little, I’ve always loved just staying home and reading or playing computer games. I felt safe there and most comfortable when I’m in my own little cocoon, and I would feel even better if you were there with me.
  11. We’re not missing out on anything. Seriously, what could be better than spending time with someone you love? We aren’t missing out on something more important because we are most important to each other. I feel absolutely no FOMO when we have our date nights at home. I feel like I’m getting more of you, which is all I want anyway.
  12. We can talk about whatever we want. When it’s just the two of us kicking back on the old chesterfield, I never have to worry about being politically correct. I tend to speak without thinking and that sometimes warrants weird looks from other people who are listening in. The good thing about staying in is that I can get as weird as I want and talk about any subject (even sex stuff) that I might not normally bring up in public.
Jennifer is a playwright, dancer, and theatre nerd living in the big city of Toronto, Canada. She studied Creative Writing at Concordia University and works as a lifestyle writer who focuses on Health, B2B, Tech, Psychology, Science, Food Trends and Millennial Life. She's also a coreographer, playwright, and lyricist, with choreography credits for McMaster University’s “Spring Awakening,” “Roxanne” for the Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival, and “The Beaver Den” for The LOT, among others.

You can see more of her work on her Contently page and follow her on Instagram @jenniferenchin.
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